A note on the stuffed pumpkin: You can skip roasting the pumpkin and portion the pudding into buttered ramekins and bake until golden brown. The center should jiggle when you tap on the ramekins. Let it cool for about 15 minutes and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

You may also do this entire recipe the night before and re-heat in the oven for the big dinner to save time. We like the idea of having some coals going in the fire pit on Thanksgiving. Not only is it a stunning display, it’s also a great time for family to hang out after dinner and have some warm cider (with bourbon)

For the pumpkin: The first step is to light a nice fire out of hard wood (we used apple) outside and get the coals going good! Carefully cut the top off of the pumpkin (about 3 inches from the top) and hollow out the seeds with a large spoon. Fill the pumpkin with the warm pudding mixture andput the top back on like a lid. Roast the pumpkin directly in the hot coals, scooping the coals up around the pumpkin with a shovel. Bake for about 10 minutes until the skin is blistered and the pumpkin is soft, but not mushy. Take off of the coals with the shovel and place on serving dish of choice. The pudding gets thicker when its cooled down.